Lineups and notes for Tuesday vs. the Orioles

It's supposed to be hot this weekend, which feels a long way away from chilly Safeco Field tonight. Enough whining. On to the lineups and early notes for tonight.

Jason Bay is back in there even with a righty on the mound. He's hitting .500 (7-for-14) the last four games.

“He’s been swinging the bat well,” Manager Eric Wedge said. “He’s been much more consistent lately. I think he’s made some adjustments that have really paid off for him. Obviously he’s had great success in the past. Hopefully, he’ll keep going.”

Less time for Raul Ibanez is on the horizon.

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“(He) hasn’t has as much of an opportunity to play here of late,” Wedge said. “Had quite a bit of an opportunity there early to play. It’s a long season. With Saunders back, with the way Bay has been swinging the bat, and (Michael) Morse is coming around a little bit, trying to get Kendrys (Morales) going, too. There’s just not a spot for him right now.”

Wedge also continues to contend that Brendan Ryan, who is in the lineup again, is still in this quasi-platoon, non-regular situation.

And, one other fun note before the lineups: Justin Smoak has a .287 slugging percentage in 107 plate appearances this season thanks to a meager four extra-base hits. Meanwhile, Mike Carp homered tonight for the Red Sox. Carp has eight extra-base hits in 26 plate appearances (with the Red Sox game still in progress). There are further numbers, like Carp's OPS being more than double Smoak's, to define this, but you get the point.

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